Red Wings' Franzen still battling concussion-like symptoms

Detroit Red Wings left wing Johan Franzen (93) of Sweden controls the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers in Detroit, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2013. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

And this time around he’s still at the early stages of getting back into the Wings lineup.

Franzen will miss his fifth straight game Saturday night, while dealing with concussion-like symptoms.

“It’s not quite there yet,” Franzen said after skating on his own at Joe Louis Arena on Friday. “I still get dizzy and headaches. It’s motion triggered. I can get through workouts fine, but if I try and play keep away I can’t do that. If there’s too much going on I get dizzy, my vision gets blurry and stuff like that.”

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Franzen took a glove to the face from Tampa Bay’s Radko Gudas early in the second period at home on Dec. 15 and left the game immediately and never returned.

“I played a little three-on-three and that didn’t feel that good,” Franzen said. “All I can do is skate straight lines. Lots of starts and stops, that’s pretty much what I can do.”

Franzen said that he got concussion-type symptoms immediately after the hit.

“The good thing is I can get through hard workouts at least,” Franzen said. “Sleeping is fine. I’ll probably have a headache after doing all this today, but it’s not too bad. Playing hockey triggers it, when there’s too much going on around.”

Franzen has had to deal with concussion-like symptoms three other times as a member of the Wings, 2006, 2008 and 2010.

He’s seen a specialist in Ann Arbor for it, the same specialist that treated Patrick Eaves.

“I just pretty much talked to him and went through my history,” Franzen said. “I don’t know if I’m going to see him again or if I need more testing. It depends how long it’s going to linger. You still have to try and see where you are every day. You have to get at it again.”

Zetterberg and others set to return

It looks like Henrik Zetterberg (back) will return to the lineup Saturday, but Wings coach Mike Babcock says he won’t know his exact lineup until after the morning skate.

“(I’m) good and ready to play,” Zetterberg said. “If nothing happens from now until 7 (p.m. Saturday) I will be in. The good thing is I’ve been doing more and more stuff and it hasn’t gotten worse. It’s time to play again and get out and play some hockey.”

Justin Abdelkader (concussion), Jimmy Howard (knee) and Darren Helm (shoulder) also took part in the entire practice.

“I’m not 100 percent sure on anything,” Babcock said. “(Justin) Abdelkader’s another guy too that I think might be available. Howie was in the net the whole time so I’ll assume he’s coming here eventually. I hear there’s a sighting of Darren Helm too. I don’t know when these guys are coming or not coming. We’ll know more after the morning skate.

“We’re going to send (Riley) Sheahan down with the anticipation that Zetterberg is going to play,” Babcock continued. “Anytime you’ve been injured for a long time you never know, plus we’ve had three days off."

Zetterberg has missed the last 11 games and still leads the team in points with 30 (11 goals, 19 assists).

“We’ve missed him,” Babcock said. “It’s been a long time. I just know we need him back.”

Howard plans on returning between the pipes Monday in Nashville.

“I’m still hoping to play in Nashville, that’s been the goal here all along and I don’t think anything’s changed,” Howard said. “The first real test was today with a full practice and it felt pretty good out there. I think I need a couple more practices. It’s still a little stiff for not using it for so long. That’s going to happen with any injury. I just need the mobility back.

Howard has missed the last seven games.

“It’s almost been a month since I’ve been in the net so for me when I do get back out there and I do get to play it’s about staying at the top of the crease and being as patient as possible,” Howard said.

Helm still said he doesn’t feel 100 percent.

“I’m skating, I’m shooting, doing a lot of good things,” Helm said. “There are a couple things I don’t know if I can handle, the hard physical grind of an NHL game. Maybe they’ll give me some magic pills or something. It’s close, right around the corner.”

Quote of the day

Pavel Datsyuk on Christmas, “I love it. I love it. I love it. We need more Christmas and not only one in a (calendar year). A couple is not enough, (maybe) three, four.”

Send comments to chuck.pleiness@macombdaily.com and visit his blog at redwingsfront.wordpress.com.